Apparatus for storing and dispensing refrigerant gas



June 18, 1963 H. EHRENS ETAL APPARATUS FOR STORING AND DISPENSINGREFRIGERANT GAS Filed Jan. 19, 1961 will] HHH] INVENTORS He/py fly/96H5BY Slo/Vey IJs/BQ ,q1-Topnews United States Patent O 3,093,979 APPARATUSFOR STORING AND DISPENSING REFRIGERANT GAS Henry Ehrens, 99 Park Ave.,and Sidney Weiner, 479 Lafayette St., both of Cresskill, NJ. Filed Jan.19, 1961, Ser. No. 83,676 7 Claims. (Cl. 62-292) This invention relatesto improved apparatus for storing and dispensing refrigerant gas and thelike.

The invention has particular application to field use in supplying Freon.and other refrigerant gases to the compressor units of refrigeratorsand the like, in the field. In the servicing of refrigerators and thelike, it frequently is necessary to -replenish the Freon gas or otherrefrigerant gas used in the compressor system. In servicing in thefield, it has been the practice to use a portable container ofthe gas(-in liquid phase), having an outlet valve, for supplying of such gas tothe compressor of the refrigerator or the like. No accurate means hasexisted for weighing the amount of gas to be dispensed. This haspresented a serious problem, because different manufacturers designtheir equipment lto take different amounts by weight of refrigerant gas,and the amount of gas supplied to the system is often relativelycritical.

IOne object of this invention vis to provide a kit including athrow-away or disposable container and a support for the container, thissupport incorporating means for determining visually the amount of gasdispensed from the container and also including valve means forcontrolling the dispensing of such gas from such container.

=In accordance with a preferred embodiment of the invention, thecontainer is provided at both ends with hollow attachment nipples andwith pierceable seals for said nipples, in contrast with the presentpractice in which the container is commonly provided with only oneattachment nipple. The container is filled with refrigerant gas inliquid phase in the usual way before it is sealed. The support comprisesa hollow sight glass and transverse opposing tubes connected to theopposite ends of the sight glass in communication therewith. RespectiveValve assemblies are mounted on the free ends of these tubes, thesevalve assemblies including means for releasably mounting the valveassemblies on the nipples and for piercing the seals to establishcommunication between both ends of the sight glass and both ends of thecontainer. The valve assemblies both have outlets and valve means forsaid outlets.

The support has means so that it -may readily be hung with thepcontainerextend-ing vertically. The sight glass than also extends vertically andopposes the peripheral wall of lthe container. As a result, the level ofthe refrigerant may be determined by examining the sight glass. Throughthe provision of a suitable scale, calibrated by weight in -accordancewith the particular refrigerant and with the particular ambienttemperature at which the kit is to be used, it is possible to determinewith a high degree of accuracy, the amount of refrigerant which iswithdrawn from the container.

The provisionv of the tw-o valve assemblies with outlets is ofparticular importance. Ordinarily, the outlet of the lower valveVassembly is connected to a tube and hence to the device which is to belled With refrigerant. The upper valve assembly outlet is normally opento the atmosphere. Prior to the dispensing t of refrigerant gas from thecontainer the upper valve is briey opened so as .to bleed out vapor orgas through the upper valve assembly outlet, thereby insuring that thelevel of liquid in the sight glass will be the same as the level ofliquid in the container. A further advantage is that under conditionswhen a very small amount tof refrigerant is to be dispensed, it 'ispossible to connect the upper valve as- 3,093,979 Patented June 18, 1963sembly outlet to the device to be lled and pass a small amount of therefrigerant in gas phase into the device.

As further advantages of the invention, the kit -is light- Weight andeconomical to construct, as well as easy to use. The replacement of thethrow-away container in the kitassembly is a simple operation.

Other objects and advantages of this invention will become apparent fromthe following description, in conjunction With the annexed drawing, inwhich a preferred embodiment of lt-he invention is disclosed.

In the drawing, FIG. 1 is -a front elevational view of the kit with thedisposable container mounted therein.

FIG. 2 is a vertical section of one of the valve assemblies.

FIG.` 3 is `a vertical section through one end of the sight glass,showing the manner -in which it is assembled in place in the support. i

Upon referenceto the Vdrawings in detail, it will be noted that theyshow a kit comprising a container 10 and a support assembly 20 for saidcontainer 10.

Container 10 is shown in vertical position, this being its preferredposition while its contents are being dispensed. Saidcontainer 10 isgenerally cylindrical and is elongated in the direction of -its axis, orvertically elongated in the position shown in the drawing. Preferably,said container 10 is made of metal, so as to be capable of withstandingthe pressure of the refrigerant stored therein.

At each end, container `10 has an end wall 11. Cylindrical nipple `12extends axially from wall '11, away from container 1-0, saidnipple 12being integral with wall 11. Only one Vnipple 12. is shown `fin FIG. 2,but it will be understood that the other end `of container -10 isidentical With that shown in FIG. 2. Nipple I12. has a hollow throughbore `which extends to the interior of container 10. Nipple 12 isexternally screw-threaded, as indicated by the reference numeral 12a.

A`pierceable seal 13 is formed upon the free end of nipple 12 so as toclose the bore of nipple 12, this seal 13 being formedv conventionally.It will be apparent that prior to the formation of one or both of theseals 13, container 10 may be filled with a refrigerant gas underpressure and in the liquid phase, inthe usual manner.V By way ofillustration, said gas may be one of the freon gases widely used as arefrigerant. Container 10 may be filled with a gas other than arefrigerant. Container 1`0 is preferably a throw-away or disposablecontainer, but may optionally be suitable for refilling, resealing andreuse.

Support 20 includes an elongated sight glass 21 which will be consideredin the description as extending vertically as shown in FIG. l, thisbeing the position of sightV glass 20 when container 10 is assembledwith support 20 and the kit is suspended with container 10 in verticalposition. A vertically extending metal tube 22 is assembled with sightglass 21 at each end thereof, the tubes 22 and 21 being in axialalignment and preferably having bores of the same diameter. FIG. 3 showsone such assembly, the other assembly not being shown in detail butbeing identical.

` Said tube 22 abuts the end of tube 21 and has a transverse, outwardlyextending annular end flange 23 adjacent sight glass 21. A cylindricalcollar 24, of the same outer diameter as flange 23, extends axiallytherefrom around and spaced from sight glass Z1. This collar 24 isexternally threaded, as indicated by the reference numreal 24a.` Acylindrical gasket 25 is interposed between colange 27 atits end whichis remote from ange 23, and

sight glass 21 extends turnably through the inner opening of flange 27.An annular washer 28 is extended around sight glass 21 adjacent flange27 and on the side of fiange 27 which is proximate to collar 24. Saidwasher 28 has a cylindrical flange 29 integral with the inner openingthereof, this fiange 29 extending frictionally slidably around sightglass 21 and extending between collar 24 and sight glass 21.

By turning sleeve 26, upon collar 24, fiange 23 of tube 22 is drawnagainst the end of sight glass 21, and flange 29 places gasket 25 undercompression so as to seal the gap between sight glass 21 and the end oftube 22.

Optionally, in order to protect sight glass 21, a plurality of elongatedrods 30 are extended parallel to the axis of sight glass 21 and spacedtherefrom, with the ends of rods 30 extending through apertures inannular discs 31. These discs 31 are extended over tube 22 against ange23, as shown in FIG. 3. The ends of rods 30 are appropriately threaded(not shown) and are held in discs 31 by means of nuts 32 screwed on theends of rods 30.

At the remote ends of tube 22, further tubes 23 are connected integrallyand at right angles thereto and extend transversely from said tubes 22and sight glass 21. These further tubes 23 oppose and are parallel toeach other.

A valve assembly 40 is mounted upon the free end of each tube 23, one ofsaid valve assemblies 40 being shown in detail in FIG. 2. The othervalve assembly is identical and accordingly is not shown in detail. Saidvalve assembly 40 includes a valve body 41 which extends in thedirection of the axis of container`10, or vertically in the position ofthe parts shown in the drawing. Tube 23 is connected to valve body 41intermediate the ends thereof, by welding, brazing or any other suitablemeans. At the level of and below tube 23, valve body 41 has a generallycylindrical and hollow portion 42 of increased diameter. The lower endof valve body portion 42 has an out-turned annular peripheral flange 43which rests against the outer end of nipple 12. The diameter of the boreof valve body portion 42 is preferably greater than the diameter of thebore of nipple 12. Collar 44 extends turnably around flange 43 and hasan upper inturned annular fiange which extends turnably around valvebody portion 42 and opposes ange 43. The lower end of collar 44 has aninturned annular flange 46 which is internally screw threaded at 46a,whereby flange 46 may be screwed onto nipple 12 so as to attach thevalve assembly 40 to said nipple 12, with flange 43 abutting and restingupon the lip of nipple 12.

The upper portion of valve body 41 is generally cylindrical and has athrough bore which communicates with the bore of body portion 42 andwhich is of smaller diameter. Valve stem 46 extends through the bore ofvalve body 41 and extends above and below said bore. Said stem 46 isformed (reference numeral 46a) so as to extend axially slidably andturnably on the bore of valve body 41 and thereby permit the valve stemto be raised or lowered by turning it in the appropriate direction.

A back seating valve 47 is fixed to the lower end of valve stem 46 andis positioned within the interior space of valve body portion 42. Theouter periphery of valve body portion 47 clears the wall of the bore ofvalve body portion 42.

The conical valve seat 48 is located at the upper end of valve bodyportion 42, as shown in FIG. 2. Valve 47 has an appropriate upperconical portion 47a which may be seated against seat 48 in the usualway.

An axially extending pin 49 is fixed to the lower end of valve 47.

An outlet tube 50 extends radially from valve body 41 above seat 48, andcommunicates with the bore of valve body 41 through a radial port 51 invalve body 41. Said output tube 50 is externally screw threaded asdesignated by the reference numeral 50a, so that an internally threadedcap 52 may be screwed onto the outer end of pipe 50. This cap 52 may beremoved when the assembly is in operation, and further tubing may beconnected to pipe 50 when desired.

The upper end of valve body 41 is externally screw threaded asdesignated by the reference numeral 41a. A further cap S3 may be screwedupon the threaded portion 41a of valve body 41, with packing 54 beinginterposed between the upper end of valve body 41 and the upper end wall54b of cap 53. The valve stern 46 extends through the packing 54 andthrough an opening 54a in cap wall 54b. Knob 55 is mounted upon theupper end of stem 46, albove cap 53.

Each of the collars 44 is provided with diametrically opposed fittings60 on the upper end thereof, to which chains 61 may be attached by meansof alligator clips 62 or the like. Accordingly, by means of chains 61,or by any other suitable means, the assembly may' be supported withcontainer 10 in generally vertically extending position.

The sight glass 21 and associated tubing of support 20 are pre-assembledand are retained in assembled condition. In operation, a container 10 ismounted upon the support 2t) by means of the fittings 44 of the twovalve assemblies 40 screwed onto the two nipples 12. Valve stems 46 arethen turned until their tips 49a pierce the respective seal 13. Valvestems 46 are then turned so as to seat the valve portions 47a againstseats 48. Sight glass 21 is then in communication with both ends ofcontainer 10, and the liquid gas filling of the container ows into thesight glass.

The chains 61 -or other supporting devices may then be attached to oneof the valve assemblies 40 and suspended from a hook or other support(not shown) so that the assembly hangs vertically (as shown in FIG. 1).

Prior to `dispensing the refrigerant from the lower outlet tube 50, theupper cap 52 may be loosened or withdrawn, and valve 47 opened slightlyso as to vent air from the upper portion of sight glass 21. This insuresthat the level of liquid in sight glass 21 will be the same as incontainer 10. The upper valve 47 is then closed, the lower cap 52removed `and any suitable tubing connected to the lower outlet tube 50.Thus, outlet tube 50 may be connected to the device which is to befilled with refrigerant. The lower valve 47 is then opened, so as todispense refrigerant from container 10, thereby lowering the level ofthe refrigerant in both container 10 and sight glass 21. Illustratively,container 10 is shown as provided with a scale 8 which is graduated ineight ounce amounts up to a total of two pounds, this being the capacityof the particular container 10 illustratively shown. It will be apparentthat additional graduations may be provided if desired. The graduationsare preferably `calibrated in terms of weight, rather than Volume.

FIG. 1 shows the level 7 of lthe refrigerant 6 in sight glass 21 asbeing opposite the one pound graduation of scale 8, thereby showing thatone pound by' weight of refrigerant has been withdrawn from container10. It will be apparent that lthe spacing :between sight glass 21 andcontainer 10 may be any appropriate `amount to permit convenient readingof the level 7 against scale 8, the spacing being exaggerated in the,drawing for purposes of illus tration.

It will be apparent that the scale may be suitably calibrated to allowfor the varying amount of space of the container and sight glass whichare filled with vapor as the contents are withdrawn. Furthermore, ifnecessary, additional scales may be marked on container 10, each beingcalibrated in accordance with the particular ambient temperature. Also,lsca-les may be provided for different refrigerant gases which maydiffer in Weight. These scales may be marked directly upon thecontainer, or they may be removable and replaceable.

In some instances, it is desirable to dispense only a small amount ofthe contents of container 10, at a slow rate. In that case, ithe uppertube 50 may be used as the outlet for the system, with the lower valveremaining closed. In this way, the refrigerant in its gas phase, isdispensed throu-gh the upper tube S0, which may be connected by anyfurther desired tubing to the `device to which the 4gas. is to besupplied.

While a preferred embodiment of the invention has been disclosed, andvarious changes, omissions and ad-` ditions have been indicated, -itwill be apparent that various other changes, omissions and additions maybe made in the invention without departing from the scope and spiritthereof.

We claim:

1. A kit for storing and dispensing refrigerant gas and the like,comprising `a container and a support for said container, said containerhaving ran axis and `axially opposed ends which have respective hollowIattachment nipples, said nipples having pierceable seals, saidcontainer being filled with said refrigerant gas` in liquid phase underpressures, said support comprising a hollow sight glass, transverseopposing tubes connected to lthe opposite ends of said sight glass` incommunication therewith, and respective valve assemblies on the freeends of said tubes, said valve assemblies respectively including meanslfor releasably mounting said valve 'assemblies on said nipples. and forpiercing said seals to establish communication between both ends of saidsight glass and .both ends of said container, said valve assembliesrespectively having outlets and valve means for said outlets, saidoutlets communicating between said valve means 'and the `atmosphere topermit discharge of said refrigerant from said container and to permitventing of air from said sight glass prior to said discharge to insuresaid communication whereby the levels of liquid refrigerant in saidcontainer and in said sight glass correspond.

2. A kit in accordance with claim 1, said container having a scale onthe outer face thereof -and graduated in the direction of lengththereof, said sight glass opposing said scale and being positionedrelative thereto so that the level of liquid refrigerant in said sightglass may be read against said scale, said scale being calibrated toindicate the weight of refrigerant removed 4from said container inaccordance with the level of the refrigerant liquid in said sight glass.

3. A kit in :accordance wit-h claim 2, at least one of said valveassemblies having means associated therewith for su-spension from asupport so that said container then extends vertically.

4. A kit for storing and dispensing refrigerant gases and the likecomprising a container and a support for said container, said containerhaving an axis and axially opposed ends which have respective hollowattachment nipples, said nipples having pierceable seals, said containerbeing filled with said refrigerant in liquid phase under pressure, saidsupport comprising :a hollow sight gl-ass, transverse opposing tubesconnected to the opposite ends of said sight `glass in communicationtherewith, and respective valve assemblies on the free ends of saidtubes, each said valve :assembly having an Iaxially extending hollowvalve body, rneans for releasably mounting one end of said valve body onone of said nipples, said valve body having a valve seat formed in theinterior thereof and facing and spaced from said nipple, said transversetube being connected to said valve tbody in uid communication therewithbetween said valve seat Iand said nipple, said valve assembly having anaxially' extending valve stem extending through said valve body and outof the free end thereof, a valve on the end of said stem within saidvalve body and between said valve seat and said nipple and adapted to bemoved away from rand also sealingly against said valve seat bymanipulation of said stern, -au axially extending pin on said valvedirected toward said nipple and positioned and adapted to pierce saidseal by manipulation of said valve stem, and an outlet positionedbetween said seat and said free end of said va-lve body andcommunicating between the interi-or of said valve body and theatmosphere, said outlet permitting the venting of air yfrom said sightglass when said valve body is spaced from said valve seat prior to thepiercing of said seals, said outlet permitting the discharge of saidrefrigerant from said container when said Valve body is spaced from saidvalve seat subsequent to the piercing of said seal, said ventinginsuring a communication between said container and said sight glasssubsequent to the piercing of said seals whereby the level of liquidrefrigerant in said container and in said sight glass correspond.

5. A kit in 'accordance with claim 4, said container having a scale onthe outer face thereof and graduated in the direction of length thereof,said sight glass opposing said scale and being positioned relativethereto so that the level of liquid refrigerant in said sight glass maybe read against said scale, said scale being calibrated to indicate theweight of refrigerant remo-ved from said container in accordance withthe level of the refrigerant liquid in said sight glass.

6. A kit in accordance with claim 5, Aat least one of said valve`assemblies having means associated therewith for suspension from asupport so that Said container then extends vertically.

7. A kit for storing Iand `dispersing refrigerant gas and the like,comprising a container, a support for said container, said containerhaving an laxis and axially opposed ends which have respective hollowattachment nipples, said nipples having pierceab'le seals, saidcontainer being `adapted to be filled with said refrigerant lgas inliquid phase under pressure, said support comprising a rigid framehaving `an axis and transverse opposing tubes fixed to the respectiveends of said frame, and a sight glass tube axially mounted on said frameyand connected at its respective ends to said respective transversetubes, and respective valve 'assemblies on the t'ree ends of saidtransverse tubes remote from said sight glass tubes, said valveassemblies being provided with means for releasably receiving saidcontainer by' mounting said Valve assemblies on said nipples, saidassemblies lbeing further provided with means for piercing said seals toestablish communication 'between both ends of said containers, saidsight glass tube bein-g spaced lfrom 'and parallel to said containerupon its reception by said support, said valve assemblies respectivelyhaving outlets and valve means lfor said outlets, said outletscommunicating between said valve means tand the atmosphere to permit'discharge of said refrigerant from said container and to permit ventingof air from said sight glass prior to said discharge to insure saidcommunication whereby the levels of liquid refrigerant in said containerand in said sight glass correspond.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS2,073,670 Allen Mar. 16, 1937 2,151,935 Petroe Mar. 28, 1939 2,689,463Arf Sept. 2l, 1954 2,896,420 Smouse July 28, 1959 2,956,708 Nusbaum Oct.18, 1960 3,052,101 Bishop Sept. 4, 1962

1. A KIT FOR STORING AND DISPENSING REFRIGERANT GAS AND THE LIKE,COMPRISING A CONTAINER AND A SUPPORT FOR SAID CONTAINER, SAID CONTAINERHAVING AN AXIS AND AXIALLY OPPOSED ENDS WHICH HAVE RESPECTIVE HOLLOWATTACHMENT NIPPLES, SAID NIPPLES HAVING PIERCEABLE SEALS, SAID CONTAINERBEING FILLED WITH SAID REFRIGERANT GAS IN LIQUID PHASE UNDER PRESSURES,SAID SUPPORT COMPRISING A HOLLOW SIGHT GLASS, TRANSVERSE OPPOSING TUBESCONNECTED TO THE OPPOSITE ENDS OF SAID SIGHT GLASS IN COMMUNICATIONTHEREWITH, AND RESPECTIVE VALVE ASSEMBLIES ON THE FREE ENDS OF SAIDTUBES, SAID VALVE ASSEMBLIES RESPECTIVELY INCLUDING MEANS FOR RELEASABLYMOUNTING SAID VALVE ASSEMBLIES ON SAID NIPPLES AND FOR PIERCING SAIDSEALS TO ESTABLISH COMMUNICATION BETWEEN BOTH ENDS OF SAID SIGHT GLASSAND BOTH ENDS OF SAID CONTAINER, SAID VALVE ASSEMBLIES RESPECTIVELYHAVING OUTLETS AND VALVE MEANS FOR SAID OUTLETS, SAID OUTLETSCOMMUNICATING BETWEEN SAID VALVE MEANS AND THE ATMOSPHERE TO PERMITDISCHARGE OF SAID REFRIGERANT FROM SAID CONTAINER AND TO PERMIT VENTINGOF AIR FROM SAID SIGHT GLASS PRIOR TO SAID DISCHARGE TO INSURE SAIDCOMMUNICATION WHEREBY THE LEVELS OF LIQUID REFRIGERANT IN SAID CONTAINERAND IN SAID SIGHT GLASS CORRESPOND.